Planar magnetron sputtering apparatus

Abstract

A magnet assembly for magnetron sputtering includes a base pole member defining a plane and formed of magnetically permeable material. A center primary magnet is positioned on the base pole member and has its north-south magnetic orientation extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the base pole member. An outer primary magnet is positioned on the pole member and has a north-south magnetic orientation extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the base pole member and in a direction opposite to the magnetic orientation of the center primary magnet. A center secondary magnet is positioned between the center primary magnet and the outer primary magnet and has a north-south magnetic orientation extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the base pole member and in a direction opposite to the magnetic orientation of the center primary magnet.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A magnetron sputtering assembly comprising, in combination: 
       a pole member defining a plane and being formed of magnetically permeable material;  
       a center primary magnet positioned on the pole member and oriented such that a north-south magnetic orientation of the center primary magnet extends substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pole member;  
       an outer primary magnet positioned on the pole member proximate an outer edge of the pole member, a north-south magnetic orientation of the outer primary magnet extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pole member and opposite to the north-south orientation of the center primary magnet;  
       a center secondary magnet positioned on the pole member between the center primary magnet and the outer primary magnet, a north-south magnetic orientation of the center secondary magnet extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pole member and opposite to the north-south orientation of the center primary magnet,  
       wherein the center secondary magnet is in contact with the center primary magnet.  
     
     
       2. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the center primary magnet, outer primary magnet, and center secondary magnet together generate a magnetic field having magnetic flux lines that form an upper magnetic lobe, an inner magnetic lobe, and an outer magnetic lobe, each lobe defining a closed-loop plasma discharge confining field. 
     
     
       3. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the center primary magnet is positioned substantially at a center of the pole member. 
     
     
       4. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an outer secondary magnet positioned between the center secondary magnet and the outer primary magnet, a north-south magnetic orientation of the outer secondary magnet extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pole member and in the same direction as the north-south orientation of the center primary magnet. 
     
     
       5. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the outer secondary magnet is in contact with the outer primary magnet. 
     
     
       6. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pole member comprises a substantially circular plate. 
     
     
       7. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of additional outer primary magnets, each outer primary magnet positioned on the pole member about the center primary magnet and proximate an outer edge of the pole member, a north-south magnetic orientation of each outer primary magnet extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pole member and opposite to the north-south orientation of the center primary magnet. 
     
     
       8. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the outer primary magnets form a circle. 
     
     
       9. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of additional center secondary magnets, each center secondary magnet positioned on the pole member between the center primary magnet and the outer primary magnets, a north-south magnetic orientation of each center secondary magnet extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pole member and opposite to the north-south orientation of the center primary magnet. 
     
     
       10. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the center secondary magnets form a circle. 
     
     
       11. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the center secondary magnets are in contact with the center primary magnet. 
     
     
       12. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of outer secondary magnets, each outer secondary magnet positioned on the pole member between the center secondary magnets and the outer primary magnets, a north-south magnetic orientation of each outer secondary magnet extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pole member and in the same direction as the north-south orientation of the center primary magnet. 
     
     
       13. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the outer secondary magnets are in contact with the outer primary magnets. 
     
     
       14. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the center secondary magnets are in contact with the center primary magnet. 
     
     
       15. A magnetron sputtering assembly comprising, in combination: 
       a pole member defining a plane and being formed of magnetically permeable material;  
       a center primary magnet concentrically positioned on the pole member and oriented such that a north-south magnetic orientation of the center primary magnet extends substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pole member;  
       a plurality of outer primary magnets positioned on the pole member proximate an outer edge of the pole member, a north-south magnetic orientation of each outer primary magnet extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pole member and opposite to the north-south orientation of the center primary magnet;  
       a plurality of center secondary magnets positioned on the pole member between the center primary magnet and the outer primary magnets, a north-south magnetic orientation of each center secondary magnet extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pole member and opposite to the north-south orientation of the center primary magnet,  
       wherein the center secondary magnets are in contact with the center primary magnet.  
     
     
       16. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of outer secondary magnets positioned on the pole member between the center secondary magnets and the outer primary magnets, a north-south orientation of each outer secondary magnet extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pole member and in the same direction as the north-south orientation of the center primary magnet. 
     
     
       17. A magnetron sputtering assembly for sputtering a rectangular target comprising, in combination: 
       an elongated pole member formed of magnetically permeable material defining a plane;  
       an elongated center magnet assembly positioned on the pole member and comprising a pair of first center primary magnets and a plurality of second center primary magnets oriented in linear fashion between the first center primary magnets, each center primary having a north-south magnetic orientation extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pole member;  
       a plurality of outer primary magnets positioned on the pole member, each outer primary magnet being substantially equidistant from the center magnet assembly, and wherein a north-south magnetic orientation of each outer primary magnet extends substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pole member and opposite to the north-south orientation of the center primary magnets;  
       a plurality of center secondary magnets positioned on the pole member between the center primary magnet assembly and the outer primary magnets, a north-south magnetic orientation of each center secondary magnet extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pole member and opposite to the north-south orientation of the center primary magnets.  
     
     
       18. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of outer secondary magnets positioned on the pole member between the center secondary magnets and the outer primary magnets, a north-south orientation of each outer secondary magnet extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pole member and in the same direction as the north-south orientation of the center primary magnet. 
     
     
       19. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the center secondary magnets are in contact with the center magnet assembly. 
     
     
       20. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the outer secondary magnets are in contact with the outer primary magnets. 
     
     
       21. The magnetron sputtering assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the center secondary magnets are in contact with the outer secondary magnets.